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Today’s complete daily news: http://media.progressnowaction.org/digest/030807.htm
TOP STORIES
As Iraq
Exit Plan Arrives, Democrats' Rift Remains
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/07/AR2007030702605.html
Even in her conservative Kansas district, calls and letters to freshman House
Democrat Nancy Boyda show a constituency overwhelmingly ready for U.S. troops
to come home from Iraq. Yet as the House nears a legislative showdown on the
war, Boyda finds herself wracked with doubts. She is convinced that Congress
must intervene to stop the war, but is fearful of the chaos that a quick U.S. pullout could prompt. "Congress has an obligation to do something," Boyda
said. But she is unsure what to do, worried about anything that "affects
commanders on the ground." This morning House Democrats, fractured as a
group and, with many members such as Boyda torn over how to proceed on Iraq,
will meet to learn the details of a new proposal cobbled together by party
leaders last night, which calls for bringing troops home early next year while
removing remaining troops from combat by October 2008.
RELATED: Democrats to propose troop withdrawal from Iraq by fall of 2008
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-03-08-dems-troop-withdrawal_N.htm
RELATED: Democrats shelve plans to force Iraq pullout
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/03/08/democrats_shelve_plans_to_force_iraq_pullout/
Bush
Deflects Pressure To Give Libby a Pardon
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/07/AR2007030700184.html
President Bush said yesterday that he is "pretty much going to stay out
of" the case of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby until the legal process
has run its course, deflecting pressure from supporters of the former White
House aide to pardon him for perjury and obstruction of justice. Libby's allies
said Bush should not wait for Libby to be sentenced, and should use his
executive power to spare Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff the risk
of prison time for lying to a grand jury and FBI agents about his role in
leaking the name of an undercover CIA officer. But the prospect of a pardon
triggered condemnation from Democrats and caution from some Republicans wary of
another furor.
RELATED: Libby pardon question open
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0703080155mar08,1,6443175.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed
RELATED: Conservatives see a scapegoat in Libby
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-libby8mar08,1,7687369.story?coll=la-headlines-politics
RELATED: Libby Trial Offered Glimpses of Way White House Worked
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/07/AR2007030702424.html
Fed
Finds Soft Spots In U.S. Economy
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/07/AR2007030701348.html
New England automobile dealers say their sales are awful. A New York City
employment agency reports that hiring has slowed in recent weeks. And a North Carolina textile maker plans to shutter a plant in Virginia. In the mid-Atlantic,
strong growth in services -- including the legal, medical and financial
professions -- offset weaker retail sales and manufacturing. These and other
anecdotes from businesses across the country suggest that the economy has
slowed recently in some regions and industries, the Federal Reserve reported
yesterday. Overall, the economy expanded modestly from late January through
February, but some soft spots have emerged, according to the Fed's "beige
book," a survey of regional economic conditions prepared to help central
bank policymakers as they consider whether to adjust interest rates at their
next meeting, March 20 and 21. The survey was conducted before the stock
market's plunge on Feb. 27 and before the release of government figures showing
further weakening in manufacturing. Home construction, factory orders and
orders for big-ticket durable goods all fell sharply in January.
RELATED: Fed Survey Finds Signs of a Slowdown in Some Areas
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/08/business/08econ.html?ref=business
Today’s complete national news
Colorado
Ritter
seeking labor's trust
http://www.denverpost.com/politics/ci_5380193
An unrepentant Gov.
Bill Ritter told a union audience Wednesday that he will work to regain their
trust after an angry member accused him of breaking faith with labor by vetoing
a labor-friendly bill. Ritter said signing the bill would have undercut his
ability to initiate an agenda beneficial to organized labor that includes
health care and education. But not all of the 400 attendees at the Colorado Building and Construction and Trade Council luncheon were convinced that the
Democrat they supported last year would support them in the future. "We
worked hard for you to get you elected ... and you let us down. You have broken
our trust," said one woman, wearing a United Food and Commercial Workers
shirt. "What are you going to do in the future to get our trust
back?" "I'm sympathetic to your issues," Ritter said. "I
feel bad that you feel let down. I am going to do everything I can to regain
your trust. I am going to govern in a way so that when I am back here in three
years from now we are having a different conversation about the things that we
have done." State business interests strongly opposed the measure, House Bill
1072, which would have eliminated a required supermajority vote by employees
before they could negotiate for an all-union shop. Ritter arrived at the union
lunch Wednesday with his shirt- sleeves rolled up and immediately launched into
an explanation of his veto.
Fix
gift ban yourselves, law's creators told
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/government/article/0,2777,DRMN_23906_5402218,00.html
Legislators on
Wednesday blasted a new ethics law and said they aren't a "janitorial
service" that the law's creators can order to clean up their mess. The
ethics measure - Amendment 41 - bans government workers and their families from
receiving gifts valued at more than $50 in a calendar year. But it has had
unintended consequences, including putting some college scholarships on hold.
Millionaire Jared Polis and government watchdog group Common Cause, sponsors of
the initiative approved by voters in November, were blistered at a Senate
hearing Wednesday. "It's offensive for them to come to me and treat me
like I'm a legislative bellhop in which you ring a bell and I'm supposed to
clean up the mess they made," Sen. Peter Groff, D-Denver, said. "I suggest
Common Cause and Jared Polis go back to the ballot and take to the people an
ethics amendment they wanted to create in the first place."
RELATED: Ethics measure fix in trouble
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5400901,00.html
RELATED: Senate backs
creation of ethics commission
http://dailycamera.com/news/2007/mar/08/senate-backs-creation-of-ethics-commission/
RELATED: Ethics law
caught in crossfire
http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_5380552
Bill
targeting drilling impact advances
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/energy/article/0,2777,DRMN_23914_5402100,00.html
A bill that would
require oil and gas regulators to work with health officials to minimize the
impact of drilling on human health and the environment passed the House
Agriculture, Livestock & Natural Resources committee on Wednesday. During a
hearing before the committee, supporters of House Bill 1223, including ranchers
from the Western Slope, testified about ailments such as skin conditions,
nausea and headaches they believe are related to drilling in their
neighborhoods. Oil and gas companies use fluids when they drill wells and
fracture rocks, but the composition of those fluids is kept confidential. Many
residents of Garfield County think the fluids contain toxic chemicals, although
there is no hard evidence. "People in these high-density oil and gas areas
are living daily with chronic health problems that are directly caused by
mineral extraction," said Rep. Kathleen Curry, D-Gunnison, sponsor of the
bill.
RELATED: Public health drilling bill ‘good first step’
http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/03/08/3_8_1B_drilling_health.html
RELATED: Oil, gas
raise wellness issues
http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_5380554
Today’s complete Colorado news
Today’s complete daily news: http://media.progressnowaction.org/digest/030807.htm
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